Paring-machine feeder.



W. M. LUTHER.

PARING MACHINE FEEDER. APPucATwN FILED ocT. 20. 1914.

1,217,872.- Patented- Feb. 27, 1917.

WILLIAM I/r. LUTHER, or snr-I ERnncIsco, CALIFORNIA..

Panino-MACHINE FEEDER.

Application filed ctober 20, 1914.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. LUTHER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State satisfactory degree of development, so far as their particular function -is concerned; but within my knowledge there has not been produced a satisfactory meansl for feeding a multiple of such machines. 1 t is stillthe practice for the operator to' feed the spindles of the paring machine directly by. hand. This hand method of feeding involves considerable delay, since the operator loses that interval of time, during which the spindle is occupied by the fruit, undergoing the 'process performed' by the machine, and must wait forfthe spindle to be freed, before he can place thereon another unit, vand to make up for the interval of delay must act with a speed not conducive to accuracy or economy in handling the fruit.

Among the objects of this invention are the correction of the above disadvantages, by producing a feeding mechanism, that is applicable to the standardized, peeling, paring and coring machines in general use at the present time; p

That will feed a single machine, or a bank or multiple of machines; limited only by the efliciency of the operator;

That is so timed thatan 'interval of inaction is permitted in the feeder, during which the operator can pla ce the fruit in the feeder with judgment, without loss of eiiiciency in producing results;

That is general in its application, easily and quickly installed, and adjustable to varying conditions;

That is simple and positive in action safe Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, i917. semi No. 857,651.

to operate, and that will not bruise or mutilate the fruit.

@ther objects and advantages will appear as the description progresses. In the drawing accompanying and forming part of the present specification, to which like reference characters have been applied, a desirable form yof putting this invention into practice is shown. I do not wish to be understood as conning this invention to the disclosures made in said drawing andV description, as

many variations may be introduced, within the spirit of this invention, as defined in the claims succeeding the said description.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a diagrammatic side elevation of a conventional type of peeling and coring machine forv apples1 pears Vandl other such fruit; some yof the minor details of the machine having been omitted, as not germane 'to this invention; showing a feeding mechanism constructed and combined therewith in accordance with .this invention, showing in dotted lines, the gripper mechanism at rest during the dwell interval ofthe actuating cycle. j

Fig. 2 is a plan view from above of a multiple of four such paring machines-broken awayin diagrammatic detail, better to disclose the feeding mechanism,-showing a pair of double feeders serving ythe four spindlesof the paringmachines, the feeders being synchronized sothat one feeder is in the charging position, while the other is in the serving position, so arranged that one operator is enabled to `charge the feeders for the four machines.

In detail the construction illustrated in the drawing, includes the paring machines,

comprising a main frame l having the bases 2, adapted to be secured to a bench or bedplate. These machines have a main driven shaft 3 journaled in the frame'1,:and actuated by the gear wheel 4 fixed thereon. The pinion 5 fixed on the opposite end of the shaft 3, or on a shaft geared to shaft 3, ac-

ydriving pinion 16, fixed on the driven shaft 8. rlhe camwnot shown-causes the peeling blade to follow the contour of the fruit being revolved by the chuck 9, causing the blade to remove a thin peeling from the whole surface of the fruit. After the peeling operation, the revolving frame of which the bracket 8 is a part, moves forward to a position opposite the coring blade, that is semicircular in cross section, conforming to the outline of the chuck 9. rihe coring blade advances cutting out the core of the fruit,

Ythat is left on the chuck while the fruit is carried backward on the coring blade during its return stroke, stripped od and delivered to a hopper beneath the bench. The core is removed by the plunger 17 working within the sleeve 7, and pushed forward at the proper time in the revolution of the bracket 8, to strip the core o of the chuck 9.

The above outline description of the coring machine, includes its principal functions and the general mea-ns adopted for their accomplishments. rllhese means will vary in different types of machines, but are common to most of them, and no claim for a paring machine per se is made herein.

rlhe main driving gear consists of the shaft 18, journaled in the bearings 19 and 2O on the bench. rlhe driving gears 4 on the respective paring machines, are enmeshed with the driving gears 21 fixed on the shaft 18, one gear 21 serving to rotate the gears 4-4 enmeshed on opposite sides thereof. A similar driving mechanism is located between the acent pair of paring machines, each of the shafts 18 being provided with the sprocket gears 22-22 fixed thereon, and connected by the endless sprocket chain 28.

The feeding mechanism includes the bevel pinion 24, fixed on the end of the shaft 18, and enmeshed with the bevel gear 25 mounted on the stud shaft 26, fixed in the bracket 27, attached to the bench or bedplate of the machine. The gear 25 is provided with the crank pin 28, extending from the side of the gear wheel. rlhe connecting rod 29 is journaled on the pin'28. The revolution of the bevelV gear 25 causes an oscillating reciprocation of the connecting rod 29. The connecting rod 29 passes through and Vis slidably guided in the tubular extension 81, the pinV 82 passing through the connecting rod and engaging the* slot 88 through the tubular extension. Y Y

The opposite end of the extension 81 is provided with Vthe 'i' head 84 engaging the cross shaftV of the gripper carriage. rl`he compression spring 86 is inclosed within the bore of the tubular extension 81 and )ands against the ends of the connecting' rod at one end, and against the end 87 of the bore of the extension 81, at its other end. rfthe reciprocations of the connecting rod 29, actuated by the crank pin 28, causes the reciprocation Vof the shaft 85 of the cai-ria To cause a dwell interval during the revolution of the gear 25 between the points 15x-13, see Fig. 1, the arc of movement of the gripper is less than the stroke of the connecting rod 29; this dierence in distance being compensated for by the compression of the spring 86, during the period in the cycle that the crank pin is passing from A to B, or any other chosen `degree of the revolution.

The gripper carriage includes the base brackets 88-88 securely fixed on the table X forming the bedplate. rlhe cross shafts 40 and 41 have shouldered ends journaled in these brackets 88. rllhe supporting levers 42-42 have their Vnether ends fixed on the shaft 41 and their opposite ends pivoted on the shaft 48. rlhe arm 44 is keyed to the shaft 48 from 'which it extends outwardlv and is pivoted at 45 to the control link 4o fixed on the shaft 40 pivoted inthe brackets 88. rllhe supporting levers 42, the arm 44, and the control link 46 mounted between the Ybrackets 88, constitute a toggle like mechanism or carriage t'o control the evolutions of the gripper in receiving the fruit and feeding it to the paring machine. The hollow stem 47 of the gripper is adjustably fir-:ed within the clamp 48 that is rigidly fixed on the shaft 48, and is held in the desired adjustment by the pinch of the clamp. Vlhe stem 47, extends upward and is capped by a concave head 49 rigidly fixed thereon, and provided with a centralsharpened spike 50, adapted to engage and center the fruit impaled thereon.

Y VThe gripper includes a spider' having vthe central hub 51,'fixed on the stein 47 by any suitable means. Y rfhis spider hasV the arms 58,V preferably three in number, extending outwardly therefrom on radial lines and terminating in the divided heads, between the sides 54 of which the gripper' fingers 55 are pivoted on the pins 56 extending through the heads. rlhese gripper fingers have an inward extension 57, engaging the annular groove 58, in the collar 59, slidably surrounding the stern 47. |The plunger 60 is guided Vcentrally within the stem 47 from which Yit protrudes at the bottom, Yand has a cross pin fixed in the upper end and extending through a slot in the stem 47 and engaging the collar 59. A compression spring confined within the hollow stern, expands between the head of the plunger 60 and the underside of the head 49, to maintain the normal protrusion of the pl-.1.nger 60 beyond the lower end of the stem 47.

Starting from the position shown in Fig.

1 the back stroke of the crank pin 28, operating through the connecting rod and intermediate mechanisms forces the shaft 35 rearward, carrying the gripper carriage backward from the feeding to the charging position, shown in dotted lines Fig. l. The center of the arc of the movement of the gripper is struck from the axis of the shaft 41. This movement however, must be modied to cause the gripper to move in a line tangential to this arc in approaching and receding from the spindle chuck 9. This tangential movement is accomplished by centering the control mechanism of the gripper on the shaft 40 that is spaced backward from the shaft 41. The substantially parallel movement of the supporting levers 42 and the control links 46 tend to hold the gripper on a substantially horizontal plane, during the lirst and last portions of the lstroke of the crank pin, for the purpose previously described; the control link 46 pivoted to the arm 44, that is rigidly fixed to the shaft 43 upon which the gripper is also rigidly fixed, permits a wrist movement at the pivot 45 that compensates for the differential movement between the stroke of the crank pin and the stroke of the gripper. The ratio of leverage in the various mechanisms forming the gripper control may be varied to meet the feeding conditions of the various types of paring machines.

When the stem 47 assumes the vertical position during the A-B cycle previously described, see dotted lines Fig. l, the end of the plunger 60 abuts the plane of the table X within which a soft bumper such as 64 may be inserted to lessen the shock. The impact of the plunger 60 with the bumper 64, forces the plunger upward against the tension of the spring, elevating the collar 59, forcing the extensions 57 upward and the lingers 55 outward. This action presents the gripper with the lingers open in the vertical position, which condition is maintained during the dwell cycle A-B, during which period the operator selects the apples or other fruit and impales their bloom ends on the spikes 50.

The paring machines are preferably arranged in banks of four all driven at the same speed. The bank of four machines is again preferably divided into couplets. The feeding mechanism is arranged to feed two machines and is also arranged in couplets and driven at the same rate of speed in synchronism with the machines that they are serving; and preferably so timed that one couplet of the feeders is dwelling in the A-B cycle, while the other feeder is serving the other couplet of paring machines. This arrangement and synchronism of the various machines meets the capacity of the average operator, and divides his time in such a manner, that the highest eiiiciency of machine and operator is attained. During the AB cycle the operator chooses from the pile before him two apples or other fruit, one in each hand with bloom ends downward. These he impales upon the spikes 50, of the couplet of grippers presented vertically before him with the gripper fingers open. During'thisaction of the operator, the companion set of grippers have come to rest in their A-B cycle, and the operation is repeated alternately' by each couplet. The speed of the machines is regulated according to the dexterity of the operator. This arrangement described is not arbitrary, and it is obvious that it may be varied or modified to suit conditions.

The stroke of the crank pin 28 after the A-B cycle reverses the action of the kcontrol mechanism previously described, and carries the gripper upward toward the horizontal position illustrated in Fig. lg'as the plunger leaves the stop 64 the expansion of the gripper spring forces the plunger and collar downward, carrying with it the extensions 57, which carry the gripper lingers 55 inward toward the fruit impaled upon the spike 50, which is seized with a grip regulated by the Y tension of the gripper spring. Three gripper ngers are preferred, as being sufficient in number', and being unequal in number, tend better to center the fruit within the gripper, for presentation of the stem end to the chucks 9, upon which the fruit is forced by the continued forward movement of the crank pin 28, connected to the gripper control mechanism.

The gripper can be adjusted to receive and carry dierent sizes of fruit by adjusting the stern 47 within the clamp 48, the further the stem 47 protrudes beyond the clamp the higher the plunger will be forced upward, opening the gripper fingers in proportion, and vice versa.

Having thus described this invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

1. A feeding mechanism including a bracket; a supporting lever pivoted in said bracket; a gripper pivoted on said supporting lever, a control lever pivoted to said gripper, and pivoted to said bracket on a center spaced from the pivotal center of said supporting lever; and meansfor swinging said supporting lever.

2. A feeding mechanism including a bracket; a supporting lever pivoted in said bracket; a gripper pivoted on said supporting lever, and having an arm extending outward therefrom; a control link pivoted to said arm and to said bracket; and means for swinging said supporting lever.

3. A feeding mechanism including a bracket; a supporting lever pivoted in said bracket; a gripper pivoted on said supporting lever, and having an arm extending outgripper, a reciprocating mechanism attached to said lever, and control mechanism also attached to said gripper for holding the gripper in a substantially horizontal position during a portion of its movement.

5. In a feeding mechanism for fruit par-V ing machines, a gripper for the fruit, a piv-V oted lever attached to and supporting said gripper, a reciprocating mechanism attached to said lever, and control mechanism also attached Vto said gripper, means .for causing the gripper to swing into a vertical position, means for opening the gripper While in vertical position 'and during the dwell of said reciprocating mechanism, and means for holding the gripper in a substantially horizontal position during a portion of its movement.

6. A feeding mechanism including a bracket; a supporting lever pivoted in said bracket; a gripper pivoted on said supporting lever; a control link pivoted to said gripper and pivoted to said bracket on a center spaced from the pivotal center of said supporting lever; a reciprocating connecting rod engaging said supporting lever and a resilient member interposed in said connecting rod.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of October 1914.

WILLIAM M. LUTHER.

Witnesses:

BALDWIN VALE, A. J. I-IENRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing' the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, .'D. C. 

